word choice - "Washroom", "restroom", "bathroom", "lavatory", "toilet" or "toilet room"



I've always been confused by the terms washroom, restroom, bathroom, lavatory, toilet and toilet room. My impression is that Canadians would rather say washroom while Americans would probably say bathroom or Saint John's in the same situation.


I guess the difference here is not only in different kinds of English, but also in whether one is referring to a room in their house or in some public place.


Which do you usually use? Please specify the difference if you use more than two from those six with different meanings, and also where you are from (i.e. what type of English you speak).



Answer



I'm American, and I've never heard the bathroom referred to as St. John's. It's colloquially referred to as the john, but not politely. Usually this room is referred to euphemistically, and there are degrees of social class associated with the terms. Here are a few, in order of most to least polite or high-class.



  • The gentlemen's (or ladies') room

  • The men's (or women's) room

  • The restroom

  • The washroom

  • The bathroom

  • The facility

  • The toilet

  • The john

  • The jakes

  • The crapper

  • The shitter


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